Monday, September 29, 2014

Updates

Hey fam! Thanks for all the updates! Glad to hear everyone is doing well! :) This week, nothing much new, we finally got E's confirmation completed... oh man, long story about that. haha  My first baptism is a good story. But this week we worked really hard in trying to share the importance of coming to church. Our investigators can't progress without making it to church and this is a big barrier right now.  The people here work on Sundays, becuase its either work on Sunday or no food for the day.  Ah man, I feel so bad, and these circumstances, I don't really know what to say or how to help, but we try to talk about the blessings of when we go to church and keep the Sabbath day holy.  I did use President Gibson's talk in the Liahona of January about the Sabbath day in our lessons... thank you Pres. Gibson!  I like the quote where he says,  "the manner in which we keep the Sabbath day holy is an outward indicator of how we keep our convenants with God" or something along those lines... I definitely felt that I can apply this teaching to my own life too.  But this week I learned that we can't change other people's agency.  Even though I want to so bad, I know that its our job here to only teach and inform our investigators of the gospel and the blessings we can recieve, and then they have to choose.  Today we had an activity with half of the sisters in the mission and Hermana Fortuna, aw she is so great! I love Pres and Sis Fortuna so much.   I can feel their love for us! They are so cute!  President Fortuna talked a little bit about the law of consecration... and what I could understand.. haha I like his quote, "The law of consecration in our lives isnt not keeping anything, but simply giving everything to the Lord." I truly feel humbled here, and know there are things that I can work on better everyday! 

Love you,
Hermana Nichols 

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Updates...

Hey fam!!  Hope you all are doing well! I miss you guys! I feel like its getting even hotter here, and it rains normally every day.. 
But things are good here! Not much new this week... Our recent converts are doing well! M and D just seem so much happier, and are continuing to progress! Just need to work on getting the priesthood with them, and working more with the members here.  Its hard trying work the social part of the mission in working with our investigators and members in broken Spanish, haha but I'm learning.  Also funny story about M´s baptism last week, I forgot to mention he was "dunked" baptized 6 times.  I have learned now the importance of practicing with your investigatros the dunk approach as I call it before being baptized.  Oh man, haha M didnt get the concept of bending your knees, and would go like halfway, but wouldnt make it to the water before he stood up... By the 4th time, every man at the bapstism, bishop, our ward mission leader was demonstrating in front of the font what to do, and demonstrating how to bend your kneees.. I will never forget our ward mission leader demonstrating baptizing one of our members in front of the font.... haha Hermana G and I were dying, while everyone was yelling "M, dobla sus rodillas!" haha which means bend your knees! aww poor M, haha afterwards he said the floor was slippery and that's why he couldn't... but he's doing well! and bought his new wardrobe for chuch on his own! aww We have high hopes for M! and D found a white shirt for church too, but its too big so we are working on getting it taken in. :)  This week I have learned more about the importance of our missionary purpose¨Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance and His Atonement, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." This is the purpose for all of us, because without these 4 principles in our lives we cannot be truly forgiven of our sins and be ready to live with Heavenly Father again... for members after baptism instead of baptism and Holy Ghost again, its partaking of the sacrament each week.  This plan is laid out simply for each of us and is all demonstrated in the Book of Mormon that even a child can understand what we need to do to return to our Father in Heaven, one apostle said in Preach my Gospel. I am so grateful for His gospel, and we are working right now with our new investigators in coming to church! oh man, time is short. Hope everyone is doing well!  I miss you! but am grateful to be here! 

Love, 
Hermana Nichols 

Oh PS  I forgot to tell Elder Beck I knew Pres Gibson... :(

Monday, September 15, 2014

Quince de Septiembre

Hey fam! Keeping it short to send more photos, but today is Quince de Septiembre! whooo.. its Central America´s 4th of July pretty much.. We are lucky to find a place that is open for us to write, because besides this place everywhere else is closed... lots of parades in the streets.. i love it! went to the temple this week! Love the Tegucigalpa temple! so beautiful!!! Also had a baptism this week!! Marlon Munoz is 14 years old, and is the best investigator. He had already been going to church because he had friends in the church, but we found out he wasnt baptized, and starting teaching him a month ago. He lives with his grandma, cousins, and uncle and aunt.. pretty typical here that people live with extended family more than primary family.. and they are Anti-Mormon, and dont like it when he goes to chruch... but he is so great! Marlon has a bright future ahead of him, and i'm so happy for him!!! 
Miss you all! 
Love,
Hermana Nichols